Selective control apparatus



April 5, 1949. J, coo Er AL 2,466,080

SELECTIVE CONTROL APPARATUS Filed July 6, 1946 2 Sheetssheet l 47 46 J HCOOK lNl/ENTOPS' SCHELL l/ %(aa% A T TORNE V April 5, 1949. J. H. cooKEl AL 2,465,080.

SELECTIVE CONTROL APPARATUS I Filed July 6, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 5

. J H. COOK lNI/ENTORSiD.

any %QQ%MM A T TOR/V5 V Patented Apr. 5, 1949 SELECTIVE CONTROLAPPARATUS Jackson H. Cook and Donald H. Schell, Morristown, N. J.,assignors to Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated, New York, N. Y.,a corporation of New York Application July 6, 1946, Serial No. 681,652

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to control apparatus and more particularly tocontrol apparatus for selectively operating a plurality of devices.

An object of the invention is to provide improved means for selectivelyrotating the rotors of a plurality of potentiometers or other devices.

A feature of the invention resides in a longitudinally movable androtatable shaft equipped with arms to turn the rotors of the devices.

Another feature resides in stop means to limit rotational movements ofthe above-mentioned shaft.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the apparatus of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 andtaken on the line 2-2;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 and taken onthe line 3-3 and with some of the parts moved to different positionsfrom the positions occupied in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a front view, partly in section, of a portion of the apparatusshown in Fig. 1 and taken on the line 4-l; and

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a control knob and panel of the controlapparatus.

In apparatus involving a plurality of switches, potentiometers, variablecondensers or other devices in which certain parts are required to berotated relative to other parts, it is the usual practice to provide amanually operable control knob on the rotor shaft of each device and tohave the control knobs extend forwardly of a control panel. When thenumber of devices is relatively large, a considerable number of controlknobs are employed and the panel of the apparatus must be quite large totake care of the relatively large number of control knobs. To operatethe devices the knobs for the various devices must be found by lookingalong the panel and then operated as required.

In the present invention a single control shaft is provided as a controlmeans for a plurality of devices, the control shaft carries arms toengage the rotors of the devices and the control shaft may be operatedto select a predetermined device and cause the rotor of thepredetermined device to turn. The control shaft may be the only portionof the apparatus that extends through an apertured panel and in thatcase the panel space used for the plurality of devices is only such asis needed to accommodate an end portion of the single control shaft andthe control knob mounted on the control shaft.

As shown in Fig. 1 the control apparatus comprises a control shaft 6which may be operated to selectively control a plurality of deviceshaving rotor elements required at times to be rotated. To illustrate theinvention and not in the sense of a limitation thereof the devices to becontrolled are shown as l, 8, 9, H), H, l2, I3, l4, l5 and I6 and whichmay be potentiometers such as illustrated or variable electricalcondensers or switches, each of which has a rotor element required to beturned relative to a stator element. Each potentiometer shown in Fig. 1has, for instance, a rotor shaft l! on which is secured a toothed wheelI8 or a disc 19 equipped with pins 20. Box-type supports 2! and 22 areused as supports for some of the potentiometers and other potentiometersare supported on walls 23 and 24 through which the control shaft 6extends. In Fig. 1 the potentiometers 1, 8, 9 and ID are mountedon sidewalls 25 and 26 of the box-type support 2| and so that the rotor shaftsI! of the potentiometers extend outwardly of the side walls, thepotentiometers 1 and 8 being mounted on the side wall 25 and thepotentiometers 9 and 10 being mounted on the side wall 26. The toothedwheels f8 of the potentiometers l and 8 are in the same plane but arespaced apart to provide a space 21. The toothed wheels 18 of thepotentiometers 9 and ID are in the same plane but are spaced apart toprovide a space 28. The potentiometers I, 8, 9 and [0 form a group 29 ofpotentiometers to be selectively controlled by the control shaft 6.

The box-type support '22 is located in line with the box-type support 2|and provides a support for a second group 30 of potentiometerscomprising the potentiometers ll, [2 and I3 which are arranged aroundthe control shaft 6, the potentiometers II and [2 being supported on awall 3l' and the potentiometer l3 being supported on a wall 32' of thebox-type support 22. The toothed wheels l8 of the potentiometers II and12 are in the same plane but are spaced apart to provide a space 33. Thepotentiometer I3 is located directly opposite from the potentiometer l2and is equipped with a toothed Wheel l8.

The walls 23 and 24 are in parallel spaced relation and provide supportsfor a third group 34 of potentiometers comprising the potentiometers l4,l5 and IS, the rotors of which are equipped with discs l9 having spacedpins 20. The discs 19 of the potentiometers l4 and I5 are in spacedface-to-face relation and define a space 35 into which the pins 20extend. The disc I9 of the potentiometer I6 is in register with the discIQ of the potentiometer I5 but is located on an opposite side of thecontrol shaft 6 from the position of tively, which are adjustablysecured to the control shaft -6 by means of set screws 42 or othersuitable securing means. arm 36, 31 and 38 is equipped with a blade 43ex- The free end of each tending angularly of the arm or with a. tip 44or I 45 constructed and arranged to engage a tooth of a toothed wheel H3or a pin 20 f a disc I9, a blade 43, a tip 44 or 45 being providedaccording to which type of element is to be served by the arm 36, 31 or3B.

The arms as, '31 and 3a are constructed and arranged to enter the spaces21, 33 and 35, respectively, when the control shaft 6 is operated in asuitable manner. The arms 36, 31 and 38 in some cases may be made ofspring material. The control shaft 6 is rotatable and is longitudinallymovable and may be operated by means of the control knob 46 equippedwith a pointer 41, the control knob 46 being located on one end of thecontrol shaft 6 and th pointer 41 being located so that it may beoperated near the face of a panel 48.

The arm 31 is located in a clockwise advanced position relative to thearm 36 and the arm 38 is located in a clockwise advanced positionrelative to the arm 31. It will, therefore, be obvious that when thefree end of the arm 36 and the blade 43 thereon are in the space 21, thefree end of the arm 31 and the tip 44 thereon are not in the space 33and the free end of the arm 38 and the tip 45 thereon are not in thespace 35. When the free end of the arm 36 and'the blade 43 thereon arein the space 21 and the control shaft 6 is moved longitudinally andturned the blade 43 will engage the toothed wheel I8 of either thepotentiometer 1 or the potentiometer '8 according to the direction inwhich the control shaft 6 is longitudinally moved, and the toothed wheelI8 of the potentiometer will be turned when the control shaft 6 isrotated. It will be seen by looking at Fig. 1 that with the arm 36 inthe position shown the blade 43 may be moved to a position to engage thetoothed wheel I8 of the potentiometer 1 by pulling the control shaft '6in the direction of the panel 48 and that if this is done and thecontrol shaft 6 is rotated the blad 43 will engage the toothed wheel I8of the potentiometer 1 and cause the rotor of the potentiometer 1 torotate when the control shaft '6 is rotated. To turn the rotor of thepotentiometer 8 it is only necessary to thrust the control shaft 6backward relative to the panel 48 and rotate the control shaft 6 whilethe blade 43 is in engagement with the toothed wheel I8 of thepotentiometer 8. To selectively operate the rotors of the potentiometers9 and I0 the control shaft 6 may be rotated in a clockwise direction tobring the free end of the arm 36 and the blade 43 into the space 28. Thecontrol shaft 6 may then be moved longitudinally to bring the blade 43into engagement with the toothed wheel I8 of either the potentiometer 9or the potentiometer I0 and the control shaft 6 rotated to turn therotor of the selected potentiometer. The walls 25 and 26 of the box-typesupport 2| are apertured at 49 and 59, respectively to allow requiredmovements of the 4 arm 36 in operating the toothed wheels I8 of thepotentiometers in the group 29.

To selectively operate the rotors of the potentiometers in the group 30the control shaft 6 may be rotated and longitudinally moved to bring thetip 44 on the free end of the arm 31 into engagement with a toothedwheel I8 of a :predetermined potentiometer in the group 30. Upon furtherrotation of the control shaft '6 in a required direction the rotor ofthe selected potentiometer will be rotated by means of the arm 31.

To selectively operate the rotors of the potentiometers in the group 34the control shaft 6 may be rotated and longitudinally moved to bring thetip 45 on the freeend of the arm 38 into engagement-with a'pin 20 on adisc I9 of a predetermined potentiometer in the group 34. Upon furtherrotation of the control shaft 6 in a required direction the rotor of theselected potentiometer will be rotated by means of the arm 38.

In Fig. 1 the control shaft 6 is in a norm-alposition and such tha t thecontrol shaft 6 may be freely rotated without'causing any of the rotorsof the potentiometers to turn. When the control shaft 6 is in theposition shown and is rotated, the blade 43 on the arm 36 may freelypass through the space '21, the tip 44 on the arm 31 may freely passthrough the space 33 and the tip 45 on the arm 38 may freely passthrough the space 35. If the control shaft 6 is longitudinally movedfrom the position shown in Fig. 1 and is rotated while the longitudinalthrust is maintained on the control shaft 6 certain toothed wheels I8and discs I9 of the potentiometers will be in the paths of movement ofthe free ends of the arms 36, 31 and 38.

- The control shaft '6 may be moved longitudinally either backward orforward and may be rotated either clockwise or counter-clockwise asrequired to select and operate the rotors of the potentiometers. Tolimit the extent of longitudinal movements of the control shaft6,collars 5| and 52 are adjustably mounted on the control shaft '6. Thecollars 5| and 52 may be mounted at any convenient points on the controlshaft 6 but in positions to engage a fixed part when the control shaft'6 is longitudinallymoved to a required extent and in a requireddirection. In Fig. 1 the collar 5| is arranged to engage a fixed andapertured wall 53 when the control shaftfiB is pulled forward in thedirection of the panel 48 to a required extent. The wall 53 extendsacross and is fixedly attached to the forward portion of the box-likesupport 2|. The collar .52 is arranged to engage an apertured back wall54 of the box-like support 2| when the control shaft '6 islongitudinally thrust backward of the'panel 48 to a required extent.

Spring means '55 are provided to returnthe control shaft 6 to normalposition when a longitudinal thrust or pull applied to the control shaft6 is released. The spring means 55 may be'a helical spring as shown inFig. 1 or other suitable spring means operating on the control shaft 6.The spring 55 shown in Fig. 1 is mounted on the control shaft 6 andbears at one end against the wall 53 and at the other end against aforward: and apertured end wall 56 of the box-like support 2 I. A stopwheel 51 extends around the spring 55 and is secured to the controlshaft 6 by means of a set screw 58 or other suitable fastening meanswhich passes through the hub 59 of the stop wheel 51 and engages thecontrol shaft 6. The stop wheel 51, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, hasspaced teeth 60 to 69, inclusive, ex-

tending radially from its periphery, the teeth Ill to 69, inclusive,cooperating to define spaces 18 to 19, inclusive, which may correspondinnumber to the number of potentiometers or other devices under controlof the control shaft 6. Spaced marks 80 to 89, inclusive, are made onthe outer face of the control panel 48 and in register with the teeth 60to 69, inclusive, respectively. The spaced marks 80 to 89, inclusive,may be continued at one end in the form of brackets 90 to 99, inclusive,to indicate ranges of movement permitted by the stop wheel 51 and may becontinued at an opposite end to form guide lines [00 to I09, inclusive,for labeling marks to be made on the outer face of the control panel toindicate the electrical devices controllable by operation of the controlshaft 6. The marked control panel 48 and the pointer 41 serve as dialmeans to indicate the positions the operating arms should be in tooperate the required potentiometers.

Paired stops H0, l H and H2, H3 are arranged to be engaged by the teethon the stop wheel 51 when the control shaft 6 is longitudinally movedand rotated predetermined distances and extents. The stops H0 and IIIare arranged so that they project into the path of movement of the teethon the stop wheel 51 when the control shaft 6 is thrust rearwardly andthe control shaft 6 and stop wheel 51 are rotated. The stops H2 and H3are arranged so that they project into the path of movement of the teethon the stop wheel 51 when the control shaft 6 is pulled forwardly andthe control shaft 6 and the stop wheel 51 are rotated. The stops H0, HI,H2 and H3 may be secured to any suitable support or be projectingportions thereof and may project inwardly from the box-type support 2|and should be thinner than the length of the spaces between the teeth onthe stop wheel 51.

When turning of a rotor of one of the potentiometers is required anoperator of the apparatus may readily see by observing the control panelthe point on the control panel representing the required potentiometer.The operator may then by rotation of the control knob 46 bring thepointer 41 to the position of the required point on the control panel48. By pressing inwardly or pulling outwardly on the control knob 46 theoperator may cause the control shaft 6 to be longitudinally moved asrequired to bring the required arm on the control shaft 6 into suchposition that upon rotation of the control shaft 6 the rotor of therequired potentiometer will be rotated. The operator may then turn thecontrol knob 46 either clockwise or counter-clockwise as required tomake the arm turn the rotor on the selected potentiometer as required.The rotor of the potentiometer may be turned to the extent permitted bythe stop wheel 51 and the stops H0, HI or the stops H2, H3 depending onwhether the control shaft 6 is thrust inwardly or pulled outwardly whilethe control shaft 6 is being rotated. If the potentiometer to beoperated is forward of the corresponding arm on the control shaft 6 thecontrol shaft 6 is pulled outwardly and turned. If the potentiometer tobe operated is rearward of the corresponding arm the control shaft 6 isthrust rearwardly and turned. Normally the range of movement permittedis determined by the length of the space between two of the teeth on thestop wheel 51. When the rotor on the selected potentiometer must beturned more than the range permitted by the stop wheel and stops engagedthereby the operator may release the pressure or pull on the controlknob 46. When this is done the control shaft 6 will be automaticallymoved longitudinally by means of the spring 55 to the normal conditionshown in Fig. 1. The operator may then cause the control shaft 6 to berotated to starting position where upon further longitudinal movement ofthe control shaft 6 the arm corresponding to the selected potentiometerwill again be in position to cause the rotor of theselectedpotentiometer to turn when the control shaft 6 is again rotated.

What is claimed is:

1. A control apparatus comprising a box-type support, spaced side wallsin said support, a plurality of rotors mounted in spaced relation onsaid spaced side walls and distributed around said support, a wheelforand secured to each rotor, a longitudinally movable and rotatable shaftextending between said spaced side walls and spaced therefrom, an armextending radially from and secured to said shaft and operable by meansof said shaft to selectively engage and turn the wheels on said rotorswhen said shaft is longitudinally moved and rotated as required, saidarm being operable to separately engage each wheel, and means tolongitudinally move said shaft to withdraw said arm from engagement witha selected wheel on a rotor when said shaft is released.

2. A control apparatus comprising a support, spaced side walls in saidsupport, a plurality of r0- tors mounted in spaced relation on said sidewalls of said support and arranged in groups, a wheel secured to eachrotor, a longitudinally movable and rotatable shaft extending throughthe groups of rotors and in spaced relation with the Wheels on therotors, operating arms secured to and extending radially from saidshaft, said arms being individual to the groups of rotors and beingoperable by means of said shaft to selectively engage and rotate thewheels on said rotors when said shaft is moved longitudinally and turnedas required, each of said arms extending radially from said shaft in adifferent direction from the others, a stop member secured to said shaftand stop means on said support cooperable to limit rotational movementof said shaft when said shaft is longitudinally moved from normalposition and rotated, and spring means on said shaft and engaging saidsupport to longitudinally move said shaft to bring an operating arm outof engagement with a wheel on a rotor when said shaft is released.

3. A control apparatus comprising a box-type support, spaced side wallsin said support, a plurality of rotors mounted in spaced relation on theside walls of said support and arranged in groups, toothed wheelssecured to said rotors, a longitudinally movable and rotatable shaftextending through the groups of rotors, operating arms at spaced pointsalong said shaft and secured on and extending radially from said shaft,each arm extending in a different radial direction from said shaft, saidarms being individual to the groups of rotors and being operable bymeans of said shaft to selectively engage and rotate the toothed wheelson said rotors when said shaft is longitudinally moved and rotated asrequired, a toothed stop wheel secured on said shaft and rotatabletherewith, stationary stop means on said support cooperable with saidtoothed stop wheel to limit rotation of said shaft when said shaft isbeing longitudinally moved and rotated and spring means mounted on saidshaft and en- 2,4ae,oso

7 gaging said support to longitudinally move said shaft to clear jsaidtoothed stop wheel from the position of said stop means and to clear anoperating arm from engagement with a toothed wheel on a rotor when saidshaft is released.

4. A control apparatus comprising a plurality of rotors mounted inspaced relation and arranged in groups, a toothed wheel secured to eachof said rotors, a longitudinally movable and rotatable shaft, singlelever-type operating arms at spaced points along said shaft and securedto and extending radially from said shaft, each operating arm extendingin a different direction from said shaft and being individual to a groupof said rotors and being operable by means of said shaft to selectivelyengage and rotate the toothed Wheels On said rotors in that group whensaid shaft is longitudinally moved and rotated as required, a toothedstop wheel secured to said shaft, a fixed stop engageable by a tooth on20 1,876,287

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,605,804 Asbury Nov. 2, 1926Gilbert Sept. 6, 1932 2,146,463 Bone Feb. '7, 1939 2,312,668 Newton Mar.2, 1943

